Food Preparation Workers Salary in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH
According to the latest U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data, the median annual wage for Food Preparation Workers in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH is $39,660. BLS estimates approximately 9,630 people work in this occupation in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH. Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH is 12.3% above the national median ($35,320).
Salary Distribution
Not everyone earns the median. Percentile wages show the range of pay within this occupation.
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $34,760 | $16.71 |
| 25th percentile | $36,570 | $17.58 |
| Median (50th) | $39,660 | $19.07 |
| 75th percentile | $45,430 | $21.84 |
| 90th percentile | $48,450 | $23.29 |
Data Reliability
BLS OEWS is a survey, not a full census — every estimate carries a margin of error. The relative standard error (RSE) below is BLS’s own measure of how much an estimate could vary; lower is more precise.
- Wage estimate
- RSE 1.6% — Very reliable
- Employment estimate
- RSE 13.2% — Reliable
Where Does Your Salary Fall?
Enter an annual salary to see roughly where it falls among reported wages for this occupation, based on the percentile points above.
Concentration
- Jobs per 1,000
- 3.562
- Location quotient
- 0.62
Cost-of-Living Adjusted Salary
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH’s regional price level is above the national average (index 108.266, where 100 = U.S. average). Adjusted for that, the median salary has the purchasing power of $36,632 at the national price level.
This is a Career Atlas USA calculation based on BLS wage data and BEA Regional Price Parities. It is not a separate BLS wage estimate. Wage data: May 2025. Cost-of-living data: 2024.
Sources
Wage data: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) — May 2025 (release 25).
Figures shown as “Not available” reflect wages the source does not publish (e.g. suppressed for reliability), not zero.